From 0 to Exit: Building a Marketplace
Founded, scaled, and successfully exited a two-sided marketplace for childcare services.
The Problem
Understanding the challenge
Building a two-sided marketplace required solving the difficult 'cold start' problem and, more importantly, establishing deep trust between two user groups (parents and babysitters) in a high-stakes environment.
Key Challenges
- ●Low user engagement and retention rates
- ●Competing priorities across multiple teams
- ●Limited data visibility and insights
The Solution
Strategic approach and implementation
Developed a proprietary AI/ML vetting system that increased vetting speed by 80% while improving quality. Executed a critical monetization pivot based on user feedback, which increased adoption by 120% in just four weeks and led to 270% year-over-year sales growth.
The Results
Quantifiable impact and business outcomes
YoY Sales Growth
Paying Users Acquired
Faster Vetting with AI
Strategic Exit
Business Impact
The journey proved the viability of building a trust-based marketplace from the ground up, creating significant value for users and investors, and resulting in a successful acquisition.
Leadership Insight
Key learnings and strategic takeaways
Key Learnings
- In a trust-based business, user safety and security are the most important features.
- Solving the 'chicken and egg' problem requires creative, non-scalable efforts early on.
- Listening to user feedback on pricing can unlock exponential growth.
What's Next
The acquiring company integrated ClickSitter's technology to expand their service offerings into new markets.
Deep Dive Available
I have detailed technical documentation and specific KPIs available for this project. Let's discuss how these insights apply to your current roadmap.